A/N: I used "Iya da!" instead of the English "No way!" or "Don't want to!" because the inspiration for this chapter is Ryoma saying it (in Japanese of course) while Momo and Kikumaru try to drag him off the coach bench during Fuji's game. "Iya da!" has such a nice stubborn ring to it, don't you think? Saaa...
Japanese words:
Iya- no, nope (usually male)
Iya da- no; or 'I don't want to'
Gomen- sorry
Itaii- ouch, painful, hurts
Baka, the baka, dummkopf, the dummkopf- Shinji (you get the idea)
Anthro 187
11.07.2006
I never thought I'd be the type. I hate pain. Always have. So much so that I've actually sacrificed a lot of things (backbone included) to avoid feeling it. Except lately, I've been having this curious bout of masochistic and suicidal tendencies. Not even in my most insane moments did I think I could do this to myself.
"One more time, Shinji!"
"Iya da!"
See? That's me saying no.
"Don't tell me you're tired? How pathetic! No stamina! And you call yourself a boy! One more time!"
"Iya da!"
To Asuka and her waspish tongue.
"Come on! Just one more time! You'll be sorry if you refuse! I'll make sure of it!"
"Iya da!"
Despite threats of bodily harm...
"Please, Shinji! I know you enjoyed it, too! I'll make it worth your while!"
"Iya da!"
Or sweetly suspicious promises of reward...
"Come on Shinji! Just one more time!"
"Iya da! Iya da! Iya da!"
And it's entirely her fault!
"Shinji, one more time! I order you to do it or I'll... I'll... cook a dozen eggs and make you eat them!"
"Iyaaa daaa!"
Although I now realize that repression doesn't solve anything, and neither does denial, I understand why I was able to do both before.
"Shinjiii! It doesn't make sense! How can you... each and every time...and still...? You can't...unless... baka! You did, didn't you? You let me? Disgusting! Don't insult me! Be a man! Come, come! One more time!"
Yes, those were good times... pitiful, pathetic, peaceful days of unending detachment... True, I always felt like I was missing something but... being left alone is surely less painful than this continuous harangue...! But no... I mustn't give in ... mustn't run away...
"SHINJIIII!!"
"Ack! Iya da! Ehh?"
"YOU WEREN'T LISTENING!"
"Eeeek, gomen! Sorry, Asuka, I know it's frustrating but it's going to end the same way no matter how many times we do it. And it's not my fault! You can pummel me all you want but we've been doing it everyday for hours and hours and hours... I DON'T WANT TO WRESTLE ANYMORE!"
"But Shinjiii..."
"No more, please..." Okay, that whiny voice sounded more like me. "Just accept it. You are a girl and have everything that comes along with being one." And then some.
"Really?"
Huh? Change of tone? Wow! She actually preened. I guess my instincts for self-preservation aren't completely dead yet.
"Yeah, you're built differently. Wider hips, large... er... chest. You're tall and slim... what's the word... willowy..."
"Go on... go on..."
It's working? Yes! Thank you, Kensuke! I'll never say anything against your choice of literature again! But knowing Asuka, she's heard all of this before...
"Um, girls generally are different from boys, gender roles and all that. The men go out and do physical macho stuff while women raise the kids. See, your bodies are made to nurture children, you're softer, nicer to hug, more prone to fat..."
"You think I'm fat?"
Uh-oh. This flattery business is tricky. Excuse me, I need to take my foot out of my mouth. Crap, what's that look? Why do I get the feeling I'm digging my own grave?
"No! I meant women in general are more prone to fat..."
"Really."
"Uh, yeah, it's programmed into us. Women are small and um... weak-er." I babbled. "Men are made to be tougher, stronger..."
"Be careful what you say, Shinji..." Asuka interrupted suddenly, in a voice gone soft and menacing. "You may have grown a few inches but I can still beat that cockiness you call a spine out of you."
Women are... illogical creatures.
Self-preservation... is a delicate thing.
Whoever it was who said that --
"Hehehe, y-yes, I'm sure you can! You're great, Asuka! Y-you're strong and you fight really really well for a girl!"
"For a girl?"
-- is absolutely and utterly right.
"It's a compliment!" I almost shrieked.
"Of all the moronic chauvinistic things to say...!!"
It's so very very easy to make a mistake.
"Itaiii...!"
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The baka actually dared to say it. That I fight well... for a girl! And he thinks I'm fat! Damn his scrawny ass to hell!
I stopped my restless pacing and regarded myself critically in front of the full-length mirror in the corner of my newly demolished room. I looked perfect... as usual.
I know I'm strong. I flexed my muscles. Stronger than most girls - and boys - I've met. And I've been trained to fight, and win, against enemies who are more stalwart than I am. So why can't I beat one wimpy boy at arm wrestling?
A sudden image of the baka and I as we had been these last few days - sweaty and breathing heavily, forearms locked in mortal combat - popped into my mind.
But instead of Shinji winning, the dummkopf in my mind's eye was wheezing in distress, gritting his teeth at my overwhelming strength, and losing to me. Yes, yes! I can see it! Shinji would give a huge gasp and then faint from all his efforts! And his last words before losing consciousness would be... I strained to hear Shinji's echoing voice in my head... you're great, Asuka! You're strong and you fight really well... Hmphh! For a girl... I'll show him for a girl.
I started pacing again, going over the plan carefully. The idiot really is not that much stronger than I am so it shouldn't take too much work to beat him. I quickly scanned through all the research material I got yesterday. Let's see, resistance training...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a traditional strengthening program on subjects' maximum acceptable lifting load... by psychophysical approach and isokinetic peak torque... shoulder abductors, and elbow flexors... It is concluded that a four-week free weight muscle-training program is effective in improving an individual's maximum acceptable lifting load... Muscles are strengthened based on the force placed across the muscle. Higher forces produce greater strengthening...
So four weeks. In Shinji's case, two should be enough. First, I need to find out the heaviest weight I can lift. My order arrives tomorrow. So tomorrow I begin training! Yosh!
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I blinked in the early morning sunlight, trying to hang on to the last vestiges of a very enjoyable dream. Red bikinis go well with red hair, I concluded seriously. I need to pee. What woke me up?
"Shinji?"
Oh, no. I groaned and covered my head with a pillow, the bikini still fresh in my mind. I can't deal with her right now. I curled up into a ball and clenched a fist on the blanket just in case she decides to pull it off again like she did the other day. Boy did she get an early morning surprise!
"Shinji? Wake up!"
If she insists on arm-wrestling again today I'm not going to be responsible for my actions.
"Shinji! Wake up!"
I've survived angels and third impact. I don't want to die. I'm still young. It's not going to be my fault!
"Shinjiii!"
Ahh, who am I kidding? She'll kill me! Go away! I don't want to arm wrestle with you.
"Shinjiii!"
Well, okay, that's not entirely true. But I like being alive, intact, and pain free better.
"Shinjiii!"
Ack! It's coming in! It's coming closer! Save me! Have to run away...
"Shinji?"
It breathed in my ear and I jumped. Luckily It didn't remove the blanket. However, It did take away my pillow and put a hand on my shoulder.
Now that my face was exposed to her scrutiny, I squint-glared at Asuka feeling resentful and vulnerable at the same time. Her palm felt like a hot brand through the blanket. Damn, I've got to pee.
"You're awake."
"No, no, no, no." I shook my head emphatically.
"Come on, baka, I need your help carrying some things."
"Carrying?" I blinked.
"Yeah. Carrying. You know, heavy stuff."
Tch, I'm not disappointed! I'm relieved. Yeah.
"Shinji! Focus! Come on and get up. There's quite a bit to haul so I cooked breakfast."
"Hah! A bribe. What'd you cook?"
"Eggs. Don't push it, baka!"
"Burnt it more likely."
"Shut up. I'd thrash you for that but..."
"You need me to do something for you."
"Hah! As if that would stop you."
I grunted. She's right. How unfair.
"It's just that... it's too early to do anything strenuous. And we've been working out plenty these last few days."
Snatches from my dream resurfaced at her words and I stared at Asuka's serious face trying to keep from flushing. I wasn't successful but luckily she'd already turned away.
Maybe she's finally ready to let this wrestling thing go.
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I, Asuka Langley Sohryu, do not enjoy expending energy on boring menial tasks. Therefore, all arduous manual labor is always left to Shinji.
I, Asuka Langley Sohryu, have been watching the baka for over an hour. But, Mein Gott, I still cannot figure out why Shinji carting all that heavy stuff bothers me this time.
Up and down. Up and down. It's taken him several trips in all. The dummkopf's almost finished but he looks tired and cranky. He was whining the whole time, as usual, no surprise about that! What amazed me was that I was tuning him out.
"Asuka! You're not helping at all! Why are you spaced out again? Are you done moving all the light stuff...?"
It's not that I wasn't hearing him. I am. I even obeyed most of his orders, the baka! I think I'm tuning him out because despite the idiot's ceaseless nagging, I feel no irritation, no impatience, and no hint of a headache coming on. And yet... I am bothered.
"Asuka! This is the last one. Where do you want it? Decide fast or I'm going to drop it!"
"Wha-? Oh, over there in the corner, by the window. That's where I plan to set everything up anyway."
"But Misato-san likes to sit and eat chips in that corner. It needs to be cleaned constantly."
"That's fine. I don't mind a little mess."
"It's not a little. If you're planning to park it there permanently then you should keep that corner clean."
"Fine, fine."
Shinji hunkered down; with both knees bent deeply he placed the last of the weights where I wanted it. Then he sprawled spread-eagled and panting on the floor and tried to catch his breath.
"Here." I threw him the shirt he had taken off earlier. "You're a sweaty waterfall."
"Watch it!" He caught it before it hit his face. "Thanks," and started wiping himself off.
He rubbed his chest and what he could reach of his back with the cloth, then he tossed back his head to wipe an arched neck. I watched him for a few minutes still having that faintly bothered feeling.
The baka was mopping and sniffing his armpits, raising first one arm and then the other, when it hit me.
Verdammt! "Shinji, I'm going to take a shower."
"Hey, not fair! Me first! I did all your hauling. I'm hot and sweaty and ... I smell! Eww..."
"You need to cool down a bit first." I tossed him the bottled water I was holding and backed away quickly. "Walk around a few minutes. I'll be done by then." Hopefully.
He groaned and stood up. "You're just saying that so you can go first." Then he flashed me a wry grin.
My heart sped up and I fled, muttering something I hope Shinji didn't hear.
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Ugh, everything's sore! I tried rotating my right arm and shoulder. Owww...!
What did Asuka just say? Left side now. Ow ow ow... owww...!
She needs it more than I do? I stretched and heard my bones creak.
Suuure... she's not the one who's hot and in pain right now.
And I really do smell... ewwwww!
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More Author's Notes: Sorry this took so long. Life tends to get in the way of writing. Anyway, I'm a bit concerned that their raging hormones are making them somewhat OOC. Let me know what you think, ne? If you have time, please review. Thanks for reading. Ja!
